HENN PÕLLUAAS ⟩ A quick way to exponentially enhance our defense capability

A sector-shaped M74 anti-personnel mine, multiple units of which fit into a round 155 mm carrier projectile shell and will scatter in all directions when the shell reaches its target. Photo: USA armee / CAT-UXO

• Finland abandoning anti-personnel mines happened in its time. Now the security situation has changed
• The fastest and cheapest way is to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention and introduce the mines
• With challenging terrain and limited personnel, minefields are cheap and effective barriers

Discussion about withdrawing from the Ottawa anti-personnel mine ban convention has been ongoing in several countries, including Estonia, since the beginning of Russia's large-scale aggression. The discussion is gaining new momentum in the context of the US decision to provide Ukraine with anti-personnel mines to exercise and improve its effective self-defense, member of the Riigikogu foreign affairs committee Henn Põlluaas (ERK) writes.

In Finland, our new NATO ally, many defense experts have already expressed their support for the introduction of anti-personnel mines. According to the commander of the defense forces, Janne Jaakkola, joining the Ottawa Treaty reflected the spirit of its time, but now the security situation has completely changed. He is supported by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. The relevant bill is expected to receive the necessary signatures in the Finnish parliament in the coming days and move forward for parliamentary scrutiny.

Estonia joined the Ottawa convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction in 2004, Finland did so in 2012. Senior military in both countries opposed this, all the more so as the political discussion focused on anything other than the needs of national defense. Jussi Niinistö, the then Finnish minister of defense, said that the politicians who made the decision to ban mines will bear enormous responsibility if a war breaks out: «This responsibility will be measured by the blood of young Finnish men and women.»

The use of landmines is not illegal under international law. Of the major powers, our biggest enemy, Russia, and our biggest ally, the US, have not joined the convention, along with China, India, and a number of other countries. According to an estimate by Halo Trust, up to 40 percent of countries possess anti-personnel mines.

In the highly tense and dangerous geopolitical situation, where the war started by Russia has created a need to drastically increase the defense capabilities of all countries of Europe, Estonia must also seriously consider what more it can do with its limited resources to improve its defense capabilities and security.

Like Ukraine, we cannot afford to allow a situation where, in the event of aggression, Russia uses anti-personnel mines on Estonian territory, while we are prohibited from using them for our own defense.

The fastest, most effective and cheapest option is to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention and introduce anti-personnel mines. There is a lot of support for this among our defense experts, but so far it has not been politically correct to talk about mines, and certain political circles have kept the military's mouths shut. Today, the security situation has changed drastically and the matter needs to be taken up honestly and openly.

In the new situation, Estonia needs to do everything possible to strengthen its military defense. The fact that the Russians are massively using both infantry and anti-personnel mines has changed how we need to prepare for defense. Like Ukraine, we cannot afford to allow a situation where, in the event of aggression, Russia uses anti-personnel mines on Estonian territory, while we are prohibited from using them for our own defense.

This is unjustified suppression of defense capabilities, similar to what the US applied to Ukraine by banning them from using long-range missiles against targets in Russia, the country attacking Ukraine. Fortunately, this has now been abandoned and Ukraine's hands are no longer tied behind its back. The same applies to the use of anti-personnel mines.

The war in Ukraine has shown us that naivety and ignoring reality only lead to greater suffering and loss of life. Forced by harsh reality, the West has already abandoned several so-called red lines and should not regard the Ottawa Convention as an exception or some kind of a taboo that cannot be touched.

It must be remembered that mines are defensive, not offensive weapons. With our challenging terrain and limited numbers of personnel, minefields are cheap and very effective defensive barriers between us and the enemy. We lack the necessary capabilities to replace them with anything else. Mines constitute a substantive deterrent, causing fear and uncertainty in the attacking enemy in addition to direct casualties, and weakening their morale.

No other weapon system can achieve a similar effect, much less today's command-detonated mines, which require a soldier's presence to detonate each mine. This is extremely ineffective and resource-wasting, unlike the utilization of anti-personnel mines. In addition, according to our own rules, the latter must be so well placed and mapped that they pose a threat only to the soldiers of the aggressor nation. Mines block enemy infantry movement and are even more effective when combined with other defensive components. Not everyone may know that many modern anti-personnel mines self-destruct after a certain period of time, after which they no longer pose a threat.

Estonia remaining part of the Ottawa Convention is suicidal. It directly undermines our defense and deterrence capabilities and demonstrates ignorance of real security threats. If we do not want to pay with the blood of Estonian men and women in a situation where Russian aggression could spread to the Baltic region, Estonia must withdraw from the convention as soon as possible. The process alone takes six months.

We must forget false political correctness and contrived excuses for why we shouldn't do this. Such arguments only serve the interests of Putin and the Kremlin. The situation has changed drastically, and we must use all means available for self-defense. Our allies know very well that we are literally on the front line, and the stronger Estonia's defense capability and deterrence, the stronger the security of Europe.